Luigi Carlo Farini
Encyclopedia
Luigi Carlo Farini was an Italian statesman
and historian
.
, in what is now the province of Ravenna
.
After completing a brilliant university course at Bologna
, which he interrupted to take part in the revolution of 1831
, he practised as a physician at Russi and at Ravenna. He acquired a considerable reputation, but in 1843 his political opinions brought him under the suspicion of the police and caused his expulsion from the papal states. He resided successively in Florence
and Paris, and travelled about Europe as private physician to Prince Jérôme Bonaparte
, but when Pius IX
was elected to the Holy See and began his reign with apparently Liberal and nationalist tendencies, Farini returned to Italy and was appointed secretary-general to G Recchi, the minister of the interior (March 1848).
But he held office for little more than a month, since like all the other Italian Liberals he disapproved of the Pius IX's change of front in refusing to allow his troops to fight against Austria, and resigned with the rest of the ministry on April 29. Pius, wishing to counteract the effect of this policy, sent Farini to Charles Albert, king of Sardinia
, to hand over the command of the papal contingent to him. Elected member of parliament for Faenza, he was again appointed secretary to the ministry of the interior in the Mamiani
cabinet, and later director-general of the public health department.
He resigned office on the proclamation of the republic after the flight of the pope to Gaeta
in 1849, resumed it for a while when Pius returned to Rome with the protection of French arms, but when a reactionary and priestly policy was instituted, he went into exile and took up his residence at Turin
. There he became convinced that it was only through the House of Savoy
that Italy could be liberated, and he expounded his views in Cavour's paper Il Risorgimento, in La Frusta and Il Piemonte, of which latter he was at one time editor. He also wrote his chief historical work, Lo Stato Romano dal 1815 al 1850, in four volumes (Turin, 1850).
In 1851 he was appointed minister of public instruction in the D'Azeglio
cabinet, an office which he held till May 1852. As a member of the Sardinian parliament and as a journalist Farini was one of the staunchest supporters of Cavour, and strongly favoured the proposal that Piedmont should participate in the Crimean War
, if indeed he was not actually the first to suggest that policy. In 1856 and 1857 he published two letters to British liberal stateman William Ewart Gladstone
on Italian affairs, which created a sensation, while he continued to propagate his views in the Italian press.
When on the outbreak of the war of 1859 Francis V, duke of Modena
, was expelled and a provisional government set up, Farini was sent as Piedmontese commissioner to that city; but, although recalled after the peace of Villafranca which ended the Second Italian War of Independence
, he was determined on the annexation of central Italy to Sardinia/Piedmont
and remained behind, becoming a Modenese citizen and dictator of the state. He negotiated an alliance with Parma
, Romagna
and Tuscany
, when other provisional governments had been established, and entrusted the task of organizing an army for this central Italian league to General Fanti
.
Annexation to Piedmont having been voted by plebiscite and the opposition of Napoleon III having been overcome, Farini returned to Turin, where the king conferred on him the order of the Annunziata and Cavour appointed him minister of the interior (June 1860), and subsequently viceroy of Naples; but he soon resigned on the score of ill-health. Cavour died in 1861, and the following year, Farini succeeded Rattazzi
as premier, in which office he endeavoured to carry out Cavour's policy. Over-exertion, however, brought on softening of the brain, which compelled him to resign office on March 24, 1863, and ultimately resulted in his death in poverty at Quarto in Genoa
. He was buried at Turin, but in 1878 his remains were removed to his native village of Russi.
His son Domenico Farini
had also a distinguished political career and was three times President of the Chamber of Deputies and President of the Senate.
Statesman
A statesman is usually a politician or other notable public figure who has had a long and respected career in politics or government at the national and international level. As a term of respect, it is usually left to supporters or commentators to use the term...
and historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
.
Biography
Farini was born at RussiRussi
Russi is a comune in the Province of Ravenna in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about 60 km east of Bologna and about 14 km southwest of Ravenna....
, in what is now the province of Ravenna
Province of Ravenna
The Province of Ravenna is a province in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Ravenna.It has an area of 1,858 km², and a total population of 365,369 . There are 18 comuni in the province , Comuni of the Province of Ravenna. As of May 31, 2005, the main comuni by...
.
After completing a brilliant university course at Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
, which he interrupted to take part in the revolution of 1831
Carbonari
The Carbonari were groups of secret revolutionary societies founded in early 19th-century Italy. The Italian Carbonari may have further influenced other revolutionary groups in Spain, France, Portugal and possibly Russia. Although their goals often had a patriotic and liberal focus, they lacked a...
, he practised as a physician at Russi and at Ravenna. He acquired a considerable reputation, but in 1843 his political opinions brought him under the suspicion of the police and caused his expulsion from the papal states. He resided successively in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
and Paris, and travelled about Europe as private physician to Prince Jérôme Bonaparte
Jérôme Bonaparte
Jérôme-Napoléon Bonaparte, French Prince, King of Westphalia, 1st Prince of Montfort was the youngest brother of Napoleon, who made him king of Westphalia...
, but when Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
was elected to the Holy See and began his reign with apparently Liberal and nationalist tendencies, Farini returned to Italy and was appointed secretary-general to G Recchi, the minister of the interior (March 1848).
But he held office for little more than a month, since like all the other Italian Liberals he disapproved of the Pius IX's change of front in refusing to allow his troops to fight against Austria, and resigned with the rest of the ministry on April 29. Pius, wishing to counteract the effect of this policy, sent Farini to Charles Albert, king of Sardinia
Charles Albert of Sardinia
Charles Albert was the King of Piedmont-Sardinia from 1831 to 1849. He succeeded his distant cousin Charles Felix, and his name is bound with the first Italian statute and the First War of Independence...
, to hand over the command of the papal contingent to him. Elected member of parliament for Faenza, he was again appointed secretary to the ministry of the interior in the Mamiani
Terenzio, Count Mamiani della Rovere
Terenzio, Count Mamiani della Rovere was an Italian writer and statesman.He was born in Pesaro. He took part in the outbreaks at Bologna arising out of the accession of Pope Gregory XVI, and was elected deputy for Pesaro to the assembly, and subsequently appointed minister of the interior; but on...
cabinet, and later director-general of the public health department.
He resigned office on the proclamation of the republic after the flight of the pope to Gaeta
Gaeta
Gaeta is a city and comune in the province of Latina, in Lazio, central Italy. Set on a promontory stretching towards the Gulf of Gaeta, it is 120 km from Rome and 80 km from Naples....
in 1849, resumed it for a while when Pius returned to Rome with the protection of French arms, but when a reactionary and priestly policy was instituted, he went into exile and took up his residence at Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
. There he became convinced that it was only through the House of Savoy
House of Savoy
The House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...
that Italy could be liberated, and he expounded his views in Cavour's paper Il Risorgimento, in La Frusta and Il Piemonte, of which latter he was at one time editor. He also wrote his chief historical work, Lo Stato Romano dal 1815 al 1850, in four volumes (Turin, 1850).
In 1851 he was appointed minister of public instruction in the D'Azeglio
Massimo Taparelli, marquis d'Azeglio
Massimo Taparelli, marquis d'Azeglio was an Italian statesman, novelist and painter.-Biography:Marquis d'Azeglio was born in Turin, descended from an ancient and noble Piedmontese family...
cabinet, an office which he held till May 1852. As a member of the Sardinian parliament and as a journalist Farini was one of the staunchest supporters of Cavour, and strongly favoured the proposal that Piedmont should participate in the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
, if indeed he was not actually the first to suggest that policy. In 1856 and 1857 he published two letters to British liberal stateman William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
on Italian affairs, which created a sensation, while he continued to propagate his views in the Italian press.
When on the outbreak of the war of 1859 Francis V, duke of Modena
Francis V, Duke of Modena
Francesco Ferdinando Geminiano von Habsburg-Lothringen, known as Francis V of Modena , Archduke of Austria-Este, Royal Prince of Hungary and Bohemia, was Duke of Modena, Reggio, and Mirandola, Duke of Guastalla , Duke of Massa and Prince of Carrara from 1846 to 1859...
, was expelled and a provisional government set up, Farini was sent as Piedmontese commissioner to that city; but, although recalled after the peace of Villafranca which ended the Second Italian War of Independence
Second Italian War of Independence
The Second War of Italian Independence, Franco-Austrian War, Austro-Sardinian War, or Austro-Piedmontese War , was fought by Napoleon III of France and the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia against the Austrian Empire in 1859...
, he was determined on the annexation of central Italy to Sardinia/Piedmont
Kingdom of Sardinia
The Kingdom of Sardinia consisted of the island of Sardinia first as a part of the Crown of Aragon and subsequently the Spanish Empire , and second as a part of the composite state of the House of Savoy . Its capital was originally Cagliari, in the south of the island, and later Turin, on the...
and remained behind, becoming a Modenese citizen and dictator of the state. He negotiated an alliance with Parma
Parma
Parma is a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its ham, its cheese, its architecture and the fine countryside around it. This is the home of the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world....
, Romagna
Romagna
Romagna is an Italian historical region that approximately corresponds to the south-eastern portion of present-day Emilia-Romagna. Traditionally, it is limited by the Apennines to the south-west, the Adriatic to the east, and the rivers Reno and Sillaro to the north and west...
and Tuscany
Grand Duchy of Tuscany
The Grand Duchy of Tuscany was a central Italian monarchy that existed, with interruptions, from 1569 to 1859, replacing the Duchy of Florence. The grand duchy's capital was Florence...
, when other provisional governments had been established, and entrusted the task of organizing an army for this central Italian league to General Fanti
Manfredo Fanti
Manfredo Fanti was an Italian general.-Biography:Manfredo Fanti was born at Carpi and educated at the military college of Modena....
.
Annexation to Piedmont having been voted by plebiscite and the opposition of Napoleon III having been overcome, Farini returned to Turin, where the king conferred on him the order of the Annunziata and Cavour appointed him minister of the interior (June 1860), and subsequently viceroy of Naples; but he soon resigned on the score of ill-health. Cavour died in 1861, and the following year, Farini succeeded Rattazzi
Urbano Rattazzi
Urbano Pio Francesco Rattazzi was an Italian statesman.-Biography:He was born in Alessandria . He studied law at Turin, and in 1838 began his practice, which met with marked success at the capital and Casale. In 1848, Rattazzi was sent to the Sardinian chamber of deputies in Turin as...
as premier, in which office he endeavoured to carry out Cavour's policy. Over-exertion, however, brought on softening of the brain, which compelled him to resign office on March 24, 1863, and ultimately resulted in his death in poverty at Quarto in Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
. He was buried at Turin, but in 1878 his remains were removed to his native village of Russi.
His son Domenico Farini
Domenico Farini
Domenico Farini was an Italian soldier and statesman, who was President of the Italian Senate from 1887 to 1898. He was the son of politician Luigi Carlo Farini.-Biography:...
had also a distinguished political career and was three times President of the Chamber of Deputies and President of the Senate.
External links
- La diplomazia e la quistione Italiana, lettera By Luigi Carlo Farini
- Lo stato Romano dall'anno 1815 all'anno 1850 By Luigi Carlo Farini Vol. I, Vol. II, Vol. III,
- Vol. IV